Avatar: Awakening
by Setever
Summary: Avatar: Awakening takes place in another time. There are four nations is there an avatar? [Characters based off members in a forum]
1. Chapter 1

**Southern Waterbending Training**

"Alright. Line up in a row," said the Waterbending trainer stepping onto a rock. The toothpick between his teeth fell into the water before him. He licked his chapped lips and continued, "We'll be practicing an advanced technique--moving water into a wave. Now watch me."

As the instructor concentrated on the pond between the many students and himself, he created small waves lapsing towards himself. Leon, a student from across the lake, rolled his eyes and whispered to his two friends beside him, "What does he think we are? Babies? ...Cover me." The two waterbending students beside him nodded and stood in front of Leon to the point where their friend could not be seen. With his entire body, Leon performed a sequence of movements and created a large wave in the pond-- much bigger than the instructor's through the delicate art of waterbending. The wave jet towards the instructor and collapsed upon him, soaking his entire body and a large perimeter around him.

Leon quickly jumped back between his two friends as he and the entire class burst into laughter as the trainer squeezed the water out of his clothes yelling, "Who did that?" he looked around, but the class ceased the laughter and was silent. "I will find out, and whomever you are... you'll be severely punished. This is no idle threat!"

"Leon Ankoku!" The voice came from behind him; it was a deep one--the voice of the WaterBending Academy master. Leon's face grew white.

_"Did he see me? I could get suspended...damnit,_ thought Leon. He turned around and the class let out a whisper of "ooo"'s as they watched Leon walk to the headmaster.

"May I see you in the office please? We've finally contacted your parents; they're here." the head let out a devious smile as he grabbed Leon's shoulder and brought him to the building about fifty feet away.


	2. Chapter 2

**"WaterBending is a Serious Study"**

As Leon slowly walked to the door, the faces of his parents through the window became clearer and more visible. The only thing in his mind was their angry grimace of their faces—the same angry faces he had seen all during his childhood. Leon soon began to remember his childhood of tarnish and pain from his parents—the pain they had caused him, physically and mentally. Scared and scorned, Leon cried silently as he thought about what laid in his past. He couldn't let it continue; pain

"Come with me," said Headmaster Sekio as he went in the door before him. Leon froze there, looking at his parent's angry grimace. He headed forward and wiped the tears when he wasn't visible to others.

Sekio sat by his parents and talked to him as if he were a small child.

"Leon...," said his father bitterly as he stared into his son's vivid green eyes.

"Leon, we've given you warnings—we've told you to be serious. WaterBending is serious study, and you... are not serious at all," said Sekio, "but... getting to the subject. We had originally brought you in to suspend you for your hysterical jokes upon me, but after making a fool of Mr. Asuki... your parents have given me the idea of expelling you—expellsion from our academy."

Leon's eyes opened wide and he began to stumble as he tried to create a defense for himself, "..b..but... the Academy... it's the only training camp in the Southern WaterBending Grounds. Since the Rebuilding—"

"Yes, we know. You're a brilliant student—the best in the entire academy...but your jokes and self destroy the art of WaterBending... you use it for means of pranks!" said Sekio

"That's basically expelling me from WaterBending!"

"I'm sorry... but it's what must be done. Now... your parents are going to take you home and—"

"NO! Damnit I don't care about you... or you... or this academy. Damn this place!" said Leon, running out the door and past the training field he was at just moments ago—those moments felt like hours. His parents stayed inside, not following after their son. After just passing the pond, Mr. Asuki approached him; Mr. Asuki did not seem to have any negativity towards the young WaterBender.

"Where are you going, Leon?" he asked, putting another toothpick between his teeth.

"I don't care... just somewhere to train or somewhere to go. I'm tired of this damn academy and those people that call themselves parents.. they hate me and I hate them."

"Leon... you know they don't hate—"

"Yes they do." There was a pause where Asuki forgot about his toothpick and stared at Leon in a sort of hopeful and wondering state. "I'm going to the Northern WaterBending Grounds. I've decided. Don't try to stop me Asuki..." said Leon... also hopeful. Did he really want to leave this place he loved and had been in so long? Even though the Southern WaterBending Grounds were being rebuilt from the ruins of the last war...he loved it there.

"Stop you? I wouldn't even. Come on. I'm going with you," said Askui, grabbing the black, water-proof bag beside him.

"You!" asked Leon, laughing. "You wouldn't be any help. You said moving that creating those small waves was an advanced technique; I doubt you could make a simple water whip, let alone the waves."

"You're joking... right?" questioned Askui, hoping that he truly was, "Leon, that's just what Sekio made me teach the class; I begged him to allow me to teach more advanced techniques, but he was reluctant. We better hurry before Sekio tries to stop us. We'll get to the Northern WaterBending Grounds. I'll come with you."

Leon stared into the eyes of Askui, trying to examine his inside and motives, and realized he was truly heartfelt in asking this. "Alright," he said.

Askui gripped a gourd out of the large black bag and filled it with water in the nearby pond. He strapped it on his back and put other items from the bag within his pocket.

They both looked ahead at the barren field of ice and water which was their path for a long period of time, and it would only be part of the long journey. Askui and Leon headed forward knowing not what to expect.

**Airbending Motives**

The Airbending tower is a beautiful piece of land jetting out of the earth which extends up thousands of feet. The land is only 150 feet long by 150 feet wide—many times smaller than any other nation's. There are two towers—one in the northern end of the world and one in the southern, both exactly similar from outer appearance. The nation of Air was the most wealthy and prosperous in resources out of the four, being followed by Fire.

The entire Air Nation—including both the Northern and Southern temples— has a high council; they make the decisions for the nation and for the people of their country. The high council of air at this current point in time consists of four people; The Head; The Advisor; The Technique; and The Ambassador. All spots were filled by the best people for the job. Air was a nation of loyalty and dedication.

—

On the wall of the interior of the Southern Air Temple was a plaque containing the names of the High Council and the roles that they had taken grasped into their hands. The daily meeting was taking place in the uppermost level of the Northern Air Temple. The two members of the Southern temple travelled to the more nothern of the two temples by wind tunnels and now rested in the chamber where the meeting was taking place. The Council was not just a group of airbenders, but all were mastered at the art of airbending and were known for their amazing work. Part of the AirBending Council's fame was their enrollment of a nineteen year old bender within their seclusive group named Soan.

"Soan... do you agree with the Terminal Plan?" asked The Head.

"I detest it. It sickens the name of Air."

"Shut up. Forget the laws. All other members of the council agree. You're just The Technique—we don't need your acceptance."

"Air is already the strongest nation! Why ruin our name by attacking the Water Grounds? They're already rebuilding after the war—attacking them would be pointles—"

"You need to respect your elders," said Eyvio, The Head, looking upon the young man who is decades younger than he is. "Destroying the Water would end a futile race of benders, and we would gain their vast resources! Can't you see the limitless opportunities here?"

"Eyvio... all you ever see are the opportunities and the need to succeed. Look beyond that," said Soan, standing up. He walked out the door as The Head walked towards him.

"You cannot share this plan, Soan. You know the Council Secrecy—you cannot bring the ideas outside of this room. Doing so means death. Make a choice."

"I choose to leave this room," said Soan, gripping the door handle.

"You will not!" screamed Eyvio, running after Soan.

"I'm going to stop this, Eyvio!" Soan stepped forward and extended his arms, followed by a twirl of the hands. A large air bubble was formed before him. The air bubble covered the entire room, excluding Soan and a path for him to leave. The Council was trapped within The Technique's amazing shield which measured to two feet in the outer width.

Soan found a wind current jetting from the windows and followed it southern to the Southern WaterBending Grounds.


	3. Chapter 3

Fourteen Hours. Fourteen Hours had passed since the event of Leon's leave from the Southern WaterGrounds. Whether motivated by pity, loneliness, or greed, Asuki joined Leon on his quest towards the Northern WaterGrounds.

The constant certainty regarding the thick, icy tundra of the very eastern of the Southern WaterGrounds was often interrupted by a thin sheet of ice--a thin disturbance; these unwanted annoyances often caused rerouting and reconsidering as to where those who must get past this to where they must travel.

"Let's rest," said Asuki, falling backwards onto the soft snow covering thick ice. Leon mimicked Asuki, closing his eyes once the rest of his body was able to rest, but he could not sleep. Deep thoughts and Banishment were not good for the mind before retiring. The cloudless sky was filled with light; certain parts of the land were filled with constant light or constant darkness from solstice to solstice; this was one of those places.

Leon sat up, hunched over. "I'm tired," he said, stroking his hands through his white hair—interrupting the flow of spikes.

"Then sleep," the other said, rolling to his side.

"I can't... too much on my mind."

"They won't let you back." Asuki sat up and stared at Leon's empty face. "...I'm Sorry," he said, looking down at the ice. "You know... they've probably banned me too, just for coming with you. Neither of us will be able to return to the Southern WaterGrounds." There was a pause where they both thought about their future, and Leon felt a bond with his quirky, young...friend.

"I'm sorry," said Leon, quickly and sadly.

"Don't worry about it kid--it was my decision. We're going to the Northern WaterGrounds together--both of us--and nothing's going to stop us," Asuki smiled and looked at Leon. He stood up, "Well--if we both can't sleep... let's just go ahead. No use wasting eternal daylight, right?" They both laughed and got up. Asuki put the large gourd on his back and gripped his black bag.

There was no end in sight to the icey land around them. The only sounds made on their walk were the crunches of ice below their feet, which varied in tone as the ice thickness changed. Asuki stopped suddenly, and again--Leon mimicked Asuki and stopped behind him.

"Hey," said Asuki, still facing the opposite way of the other, "Do you think a few days will ruin our travel to the Northern WaterGrounds?"

"What?" Leon asked, unsure of what Asuki was asking, "No... I think."

Asuki turned around to face Leon. "Want to learn some techniques that Sekio wouldn't approve?" He smiled.

"..Sure." said the apprentice, gleaming. Asuki turned back around, with his back facing Leon, took a deep breathe, and heaved foward, breathing out air through his mouth. The ice in front of Asuki started to deteriate and turn into a large pond as he held the pose, letting out air. Once the pond was many meters in width, Asuki dropped his pose and let the chilling air fill his lungs.

"Now, show me that move from the pond before again," Asuki said, while Leon laughed, and ran to the side of the pond opposite from Asuki. He executed the swift movements of the water wave again, and slowly began to work on the wave. Unique to their history, Asuki mimicked Leon and added to the wave. The large, concentrated urge of water began to slowly move upward, and reached a height many times larger than that of either Leon or Asuki. They smiled at each other as Asuki said, "Work harder! We almost got i--," but was interrupted as a large blast of water jet through their tower, making it descend as the two creators lost their pose and breath.

About thirty meters away, a group of three men dressed in robes of waterbenders whose hoods were upon their heads stood in a triangular formation. The man in front took off his hood to reveal his ragged face and incomplete mouth. He spoke in the accent of a native Southern WaterBender, "Asuki and Leon, right?" he asked, staring into the eyes of Asuki.

"Yeah. what do you care?" said Leon, stepping closer to the three than Asuki.

"Leon, let me handle this," Asuki said aside to Leon. "Yeah. What do you care?"

The frontman laughed and said, "Well.. we're going for the wish, o'course."

"The...wish?" asked Asuki.

"Yeah...the bounty on your heads!"

"A bounty!" screamed Asuki, in fear. Damn, they already got a bounty on our heads. I wonder if Leon understands what this means. There'll be more...if there's a good enough reward, he thought. "What do you get in return?"

"I told ya'. A wish. Sekio promised one wish to who brings back heads of Leon and Asuki.. and gave us the direction to which ya' traveled."

A wish? Damn. , thought Asuki.

"And my wish is gonna be to make me king," he said, followed by a sly smile. "And all we needs is you, now"

"What?" Asuki looked behind him, to where Leon was, but instead he found two other men in a waterbending coat identical to the other three men, with a posture to that of...the Water Encapture! Beside the two was a large ball of ice with the shape of Leon's body inside it. He was banging against the Water Encapture shell, but wasn't able to get out. WHAT! No...Damn! They got Leon!

The two men Asuki was now facing let their fixed posture release and stood by the large ball, which contained Leon, still banging against the walls. Asuki could see Leon screaming, but could hear no sound. Leon pointed behind Asuki, and the three waterbenders in identical coats were all running towards him, five meters away.


End file.
